"I think he's a little beat up right now," Johnson said, per MLB.com. "I hate to just sit him out, but he's certainly not doing things he knows he's capable of doing. So it's frustrating for him and he feels like he's letting everybody down. But he's trying to do his best. Sometimes just getting away from it a little bit helps."

Johnson said he's "surprised" Espinosa hasn't taken a step forward this season, but he's confident the 26-year-old infielder will turn it around.

"How you handle adversity is a large part of your success," Johnson said. "We'll get through this. Coming in this year I felt like Danny was a key guy, and if he started doing the things that he's capable of doing, it could make the year a whole lot of fun. I still feel that way."

Over the last six games, Viciedo has had four multi-hit efforts. He's also showing a slightly elevated walk rate, which has been an area of weakness in the past. On the season, Viciedo is hitting .301/.362/.494 in 83 at-bats. 

"It's a challenge for me with everybody on our roster," Weiss said, per The Denver Post. "Jordan is a really good player. He's very versatile, gives you good at-bats. He's going to be involved quite a bit."

Profar started at second base and hit ninth Monday. Profar went 0 for 2 during the game, but was able to add two RBI. He was hitting .278/.370/.438 in 144 at-bats in Triple-A. 

Rosenthal is on pace for more than 80 appearances, but manager Mike Matheny said he's not concerned about the right-hander, who has a 2.42 ERA and 13 holds.

"It’s a growing concern for all you (media) guys," Matheny said, per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "At times he’s felt very good and we’ve still shut him down a couple days. He’s one of the physically strongest guys we have. If we find it’s affecting him, we change course. He prepared to be a starter this year. He prepared for 200 innings. We’re not going to give him that. But we’re going to give him an opportunity to help us win. And that’s what he’s been helping us do."

"Everybody is focused on the Wacha 'clock,'" general manager John Mozeliak told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, referring to the nickname for big-league service time. "The clock is something that is well-documented and it’s something that we think about."

Mozeliak warned of the dangers of rushing Wacha and having to deal with Stephen Strasburg-esque issues worrying about overstressing a developing arm. Wacha, who is 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA in eight starts for Memphis, has just 68 2/3 pro innings under his belt. For perspective on how the Cardinals have handled prospects in the past who they viewed as ace material, rookie Shelby Miller tossed 383 2/3 innings in the minors before joining the Cardinals' rotation and Adam Wainwright had 793 innings in the minors (the latter split between the Cardinals and Braves organizations).

It begs the question with Danny Espinosa struggling: Are the Nationals looking for Rendon to possibly take over at second base at the major-league level? Nationals manager Davey Johnson said that's not the plan quite yet.

"We like him -- we like him a lot," Johnson said of Rendon, per FOX Sports. "But putting him at second at the major-league level, he’s not there yet. He’s not (playing second) specifically. He’s just occasionally going over there."

Johnson added reserve infielder Stephen Lombardozzi and Triple-A infielder Zach Walters are options ahead of Rendon, who is widely considered the team's best prospect, if the team made a decision to replace Espinosa in the starting lineup.

Rendon continues to rake for Harrisburg. His slash line through 30 games is .346/.654/1.136. He has two triples, six home runs, 11 doubles and 23 RBI.

Manager Jim Leyland said the move was "a no-brainer." Leyland admitted that the move would be temporary, and that Austin Jackson would remain in the spot once he returned. While he's happy with Infante's performance, Leyland doesn't think he's the ideal long-term leadoff hitter. 

"He's not an ideal leadoff guy. He doesn't walk much, but he hits pretty good." Omar can hit anywhere. Omar just comes ready to play everyday and whatever you ask him to do, he does," Leyland said.

Infante is hitting .313/.344/.444 in 144 at-bats this year.